Below is a glimpse of how schools and teachers across the nation are participating in NCTE's Web Seminars. What is your situation? If you have participated in an NCTE Web seminar, as an individual or group, tell us your story in the comment box below.

Middle and Secondary English Teachers Gather to Participate and Earn CreditAllegany County Public Schools in Maryland offers credit for participation in NCTE Web Seminars. Literacy leader Sue Hughes explains why she is offering credit for this effective, yet inexpensive method of professional development.

Secondary English Department

Despite several obstacles, including very little funding (Arizona is 49th in the country on educational spending) and a seminar that was held during the school day (substitutes were needed), an English teacher gained last-minute approval from his supervisor to participate. Four teachers gathered in one room for the live event.

Elementary School TeachersKnowing that obtaining school funds would be tough, teachers from a New Jersey school split the cost of the Katie Wood Ray Web seminar, A Predicable Framework for Genre Study.

On Demand CD Use

From an instructional coach in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

“In February our middle school teachers are getting together to use NCTE’s On Demand Web Seminar TARGET-ing Reluctant Readers for Staff Development day. The webinars are wonderful!”

Writing Project Consultants

From a WP Teacher Consultant

“We will be attending with a team of Teacher Consultants from the Oregon Writing Project here at the University of Oregon. Thanks for creating this web seminar for your colleagues around the world.”

Incorporation Within a Methods Course

At Johns Hopkins University, the Methods of Teaching in Secondary Schools (English) class decided to attend the Web seminar, Reading in the Reel World, featuring John Golden. There were approximately 40 students present.

They chose to participate for these reasons:

Wanted to integrate technology into our courses in unique and effective ways

Wanted to encourage students to join the professional teaching community (NCTE)

Here is how they set up their Web seminar experience:

Both sections of students gathered in one classroom

They purchased one access at the member rate

They had one computer located in the front of the room. The content was projected onto a large screen at the front of the room.

Students volunteered to stand and type at the computer. If a student had a “burning desire” to share his/her specific opinion to a topic, he/she was encouraged to come to the computer and share.

They voted as a class when there were multiple choice questions. They shouted out answers on occasions where multiple responses were allowed.